1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to systems and methods that control the supply of power to individual switches and outlets in a home or business. More particularly, the present invention relates to control systems that enable a user to selectively activate and deactivate individual fixtures in a particular circuit of a home or business.
2. Prior Art Description
In the United States, electrical power is typically provided to commercial and residential buildings as alternating current at 120 volts and 60 Hz. Within a home or building, power is divided into smaller area circuits. Power to each area circuit is controlled by a separate circuit breaker. The number of outlets and fixtures assigned to each area circuit are governed by various federal, state, and local building codes. However, in most wiring scenarios, an area circuit typically contains less than ten outlets and fixtures in combined total.
It has long been known that data can be transmitted through power wire cables, while electricity is simultaneously being transmitted through those same cables. This is accomplished by transmitting low voltage signals at high frequencies, i.e. frequencies over 100 KHz. The transmission of the data has no appreciable effect upon the transmission of electricity and vice versa.
Transmitting data through power lines has been used for computer networking and even for telephone communication wiring. However, data transmission through power cables has primarily been used to control smart outlets, wherein the outlets can be activated or deactivated using a data transmission. In such systems, the control signals are typically generated using a desktop computer. The desktop computer uses a signal converter to convert command signals into data signals that can travel through the power lines. Since data is being transmitted through active power lines, the installation and expense of installing such systems is considerable. Furthermore, commercially available smart outlets are very expensive. This is due to the electronics required within the smart outlet to identify that outlet to the overall system. A typical home may have over one hundred outlets and dozens of lighting fixtures. Being able to place an expensive smart outlet into such a multitude has made such prior art systems too expensive and too complex for use by the average homeowner. Accordingly, smart outlets are typically only installed by professionals in luxury homes and ultra-high energy efficient commercial buildings.
A need therefore exists for a system and method of simplifying the use of smart outlets so that an average homeowner can afford to use the smart outlets and has the ability to install the smart outlets. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.